Jeremiah (Program #17) – Jehovah as the Potter and Israel as the Pottery

The prophet Jeremiah found himself in a difficult almost impossible situation. On one hand, he himself was part of the nation of Israel. A nation that had rebelled against the Lord and as a result was suffering under the hand of Jehovah’s discipline and chastisement. Therefore, Jeremiah was suffering along with all his countrymen. Yet Jeremiah was unique in that he had faithfully spoken Jehovah’s word to Israel pointing out their unfaithfulness and warning them to turn back to the God who had so marvelously brought them into the Good Land. But this faithful speaking by Jeremiah was rejected by Israel and caused them to hate him and even further persecute him. So it’s not surprising to hear this man of God crying out in anguish to the one person who would surely sympathize with him – his own mother. In chapter 15, the prophet said “Woe is me, my mother, because you bore me, A man of strife and a man of contention to the whole land. I have not lent with interest, Nor have they lent to me; Yet everyone curses me.” But before his mother could speak a comforting word, Jehovah intervenes. And in the discourse that follows, we see that Jeremiah had a different view from Jehovah regarding the way that the Lord was dealing with His people, Israel.

God’s selection is not according to our work, our effort, our labour but altogether it is of God who shows mercy.

We begin a new chapter in our life study of Romans today which marks a whole new section of Romans. At the beginning of this life study of Romans, sections of this book has been pointed out. We have covered the section of condemnation – this section showed us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and are under condemnation. This was followed by the section on justification and this happily pointed out how God’s wonderful way in which justifies us freely through the redemption of Christ Jesus can be our experience and justifies us before God. more…